


Bedtime Stories

by Nevanna



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 03:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5114600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nevanna/pseuds/Nevanna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix has told Kira a few stories about the mother who left her, but he also tries to tell the truth when he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedtime Stories

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story to fill the "estrangement" square for Hurt/Comfort Bingo.

Felix sits down on the bed and hands Kira a box of tissues. Once she’s blown her nose at an impressive volume for a seven-year-old, he asks, “Better now?”

Kira nods. “A little.”

“Sometimes it helps to have a good cry. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different, all right?” Felix puts an arm around her, and she rests her cheek against his shirt. They spent most of the evening surrounded by paper and crayons, drawing one picture after another, and when he knocked on her door to find out whether she was ready for bed, he heard sobbing from the other side. “I know you miss your mum,” he says now, “and I’m pretty sure she misses you right back.” 

“She’s not really trying to stop the American government from creating a black hole, is she?”

“Now, neither of us knows that for sure.” After Sarah walked out of this house for the last time, Felix started making up stories about her glamorous career as an international spy: wearing disguises, unlocking secret codes, capturing mad scientists. While Mrs. S. looked on and tried not to smile, Kira listened eagerly to those stories, and even added to some of them. Even so, sometimes he doesn’t think she ever really believed them in the first place, even if it’s taken her a while to show it. 

“She told me to be good,” Kira says gravely. “I’m really trying.”

Felix cuddles her closer. “Oh, no, monkey, that’s nothing to do with it.”

“Well, you could stand to put your toys away more often after they’re done with their adventures,” Mrs. S. says from the doorway. Felix didn’t hear her car pull up or her footsteps on the stairs. He’s not even sure how long she’s been standing there. “But that’s something else again.” She sits on Kira’s other side and places two fingers under the little girl’s chin, tilting her face upward. “We’ve talked about this before, haven’t we – how easily your mum gets into trouble? Sometimes that trouble is her fault and sometimes it’s not, but it’s certainly never been yours.”

“Only she doesn’t want you mixed up in that trouble, and neither do we,” Felix adds, “and that’s why she had to go away.”

“Is it always going to be like this?”

“That, I can’t answer. I hope that it’s not.” Mrs. S. brushes back a curl of Kira’s hair. “Under the blanket with you, now. Do you still want to hear a story tonight?”

“Yeah. Can Uncle Felix read it? He’s better at making all the voices.”

“Looks like my audience awaits,” Felix proclaims, reaching for the copy of _Ella Enchanted_ that sits on the nightstand, and flipping through the pages.

“One chapter only, all right? It’s late.” Mrs. S. kisses Kira on the forehead. “Sweet dreams, darling.” She straightens. “Felix, I’ll be wanting to talk to you before you leave.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Felix salutes with the hand that isn’t holding the book. “All right, Kira, I’m ready whenever you are.”


End file.
